This invention relates to excavating machines and the like, and more particularly to an assembly for detachably coupling an implement to a dipper stick of such machines.
In the construction, mining and other industries, it is highly desirable to readily couple and uncouple different implements such as buckets, grapples, rakes and the like relative to the dipper stick of such machines in order to enhance productivity. Preferably, the assemblies for readily coupling and uncoupling such implements should be simple in design to minimize manufacturing costs, easy to mount on conventional dipper sticks and readily operable to quickly and reliably couple and uncouple the implement onto and off of a dipper stick.
In view of the foregoing, the principal object of the present invention is to provide an assembly for detachably coupling an implement to the dipper stick of a machine, which meets such criteria of design, installation and use.
The present invention meets the requirements of the aforementioned criteria by providing an assembly mountable on a dipper stick and a fluid actuated assembly of a machine, and connectable to an implement having at least one pair of opposed, connecting pin receiving recesses, generally comprising at least one spacer link including a pair of segments pivotally connected together and angularly displaceable relative to each other between retracted, inoperable and extended, operable positions, one of such a link segments having a pin portion connectable to the dipper stick for pivotal movement about its axis and receivable in one of the implement recesses, and the other of the link segments having a pin portion operatively connectable to the fluid actuated assembly for pivotal movement about its axis and receivable in the other of the implement recesses, and means mounted thereon and cooperable with the one link segment when the link segments are disposed in their extended, operatively positions for releasably securing the link segments in their extended, operative positions. Preferably the assembly includes a pair of such links, each disposed on a side of the dipper stick. In addition, the releasably securing means comprises a latch on one of the link segments, cooperable with the other link segment when the link segments are in their extended, operative positions, for preventing the link segments from displacing from their extended, operative positions to their retracted, inoperable positions. In one embodiment, the latch may comprise a toggle bolt pivotally connected to one of the main link segments and receivable within a recess of the other link segment to releasably secure the segments together. In another embodiment of the invention, such a latch may comprise a spring biased pin mounted in one of the link segments and receivable in a registrable opening in the other link segment when the link segments are disposed in their extended, operable positions, with a pin disposed in such opening in the other link segment which may be displaced to eject such spring biased pin from the opening in the other link segment to permit the link segments to pivot from their extended, operative positions to their retracted, inoperable positions.